Billy Jeffers: Rockers of Steel by Mj Fields Page B

more importantly, I hate that I wonder what exactly he thinks he will get out of me now.
    Three days ago, I wanted to be just like him. Now, my eyes are open, and I see my past mistakes, the things I just let slip. And then he did this … They both did this.
    “Sure is,” Madison answers for me.
    I look down at her, and she gives me a sad smile.
    “I’m sure he’s fine, Billy.”
    “Your mother is in the room with him now. Only two visitors are allowed at a time,” the nurse says.
    “I’ll be over here.” Madison points to a waiting area. “Can you direct me to a bathroom first?”
    “Head back the way you came, but go left. You’ll see the signs.”
    “Come with?”
    “You need me to?”
    “Well, no, but you should go to the bathroom and wash your hands,” she whispers the last part then walks away.

    I stand outside room 427, trying to calm myself. Half of me thinks I shouldn’t have let Madison come in with me since I clearly can’t focus on anything else when she is around, not anymore.
    I walk in to find my mother sitting beside my dad, holding his hand. They both turn and look at me.
    “You’re here.” My mother smiles as she jumps up and comes over to hug me.
    “Of course I am,” I remark, looking over her at my father.
    “Hey, sport.” He nods. “All I had to do was end up in the hospital to get the attention of my famous rock star son, huh?”
    “Oh, William,” my mother scolds, pulling away, walking back over to him, and taking her spot next to … him.
    “Do you have the test results?”
    My mother replies, “They think—”
    “They are keeping me overnight and hooked up to all these blasted wires and tubes. We should know more tomorrow.”
    I nod and walk over to lean against the windowsill.
    “Mom mentioned you brought a friend?” he asks, looking at me.
    “My brothers,” I say because I am in the mood to push some buttons, “in the band insisted I don’t go alone, so Memphis’s sister, Madison, offered to drive.”
    “You let a woman drive?” He snorts.
    “She’s a good driver.”
    My mom smiles at him like he hangs the moon. “Behave, William.”
    “Well, I would like to meet her.”
    There is no way in hell I am going to let that happen.
    “Only two people are allowed in the room at a time.”
    “I can go out. I need to stretch my legs, anyway.” Mom puts her hand on his heart. “I haven’t left this one’s side.”
    “Now that Billy boy is here…” I cringe when he says that. I always hated it and hate it even more now. “I think you should go and get some rest.”
    “Oh, William, I just couldn’t.”
    “We don’t know what we’re facing tomorrow. I want you rested.”
    She shakes her head, but he nods.
    “I insist.”
    I swear there is no other woman I have met in my life who could turn on waterworks the way my mother can. I thought Madison was doing the same thing when she bit her tongue. Clearly, I was wrong.
    “Do you really trust this girl’s driving?” my dad asks.
    “Of course I do,” I answer, not telling him she has a lead foot and makes a horribly distracting passenger.
    “Do you think she would drive Mommy home? I would prefer her not to take a cab.”
    Other than my father, or the father of a young child, I have never heard a man refer to his wife as Mommy.
    “Your vehicle’s not here?” I ask.
    “Of course not. She rode in the ambulance with me.”
    I take a deep breath, and my mother immediately asks, “Is everything okay, Billy?”
    “I’ll walk you out,” I tell her.
    “You’ll be back in the morning, Billy boy?” Dad asks.
    “I’m actually gonna stay for a while. I’ll be back. Let’s go, Mom.”
    “That’s not necessary, son,” he calls behind me.
    “I would surely appreciate it if you’d stay with Daddy for a while,” my mom says as we walk out into the hallway.
    I nod, and we stop at the nurses’ station on our way out.
    “I’m being forced to go home.” My mother actually pouts.
    “He’s